A glove compartment box or glove box is a compartment typically present as part of a dashboard or instrument panel in a vehicle. Glove boxes are typically located above the front-seat passenger's foot well and open into the passenger compartment. The glove box can be used for general storage of a number of different items such as gloves, the motor vehicle owner's manual, and miscellaneous items.
In a vehicle, components and structure located between the firewall and the passenger compartment are often concealed behind the instrument panel (IP). These components include portions of the HVAC, vehicle cross braces, and various electronic systems. As vehicles have become more complex, the amount of components and structure within the IP has increased such that there is little vacant space between the IP and the firewall.
In a front end collision, in which the firewall may be pushed rearwards towards the passenger compartment, these components and structure are also pushed rearwards into the passenger compartment where they may force the IP into contact with the occupants. In addition to airbags that protect occupants from impacting portions of the IP, it is well known for the surfaces of the IP to have energy absorbing capabilities. These energy absorbing surfaces break the load path between the occupant and the surface.
However, energy absorbing surfaces on the exterior of the IP do not prevent a rearward moving force from displacing the IP into the passenger compartment. Furthermore, when the firewall is deformed and there is engine push rearward towards the passenger compartment, the IP can become part of the system and transmit the combined forces rearwards towards the passenger. Given that the glove box is located proximate to a passenger traveling in the front seat of the vehicle, it would be desirable for the glove box to break the rearward load path that occurs in a front end collision.
As the glove box is often installed in the IP via a housing or the like, the glove box may become detached from the IP. It would likewise be desirable for the glove box to maintain the relationship between a passenger compartment door of the glove box and the rest of the instrument panel. In this way, rearward directed forces on the glove box would not displace the passenger compartment door towards the vehicle occupants. Since the glove box has an internal volume that resides within the IP, this internal volume can be used to accommodate rearward moving components and structure to prevent a similar rearward movement of the glove box and break the load path towards the passenger compartment.